Coppe welcomes more than 500 new students
Planeta COPPE / Institutional News / News
Date: 18/03/2026
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Coppe/UFRJ welcomed its new students for 2026. The traditional reception, held at the opening of the first academic semester, filled Coppe’s auditorium this Monday, March 16th, reflecting the enthusiasm for the new challenges of science and technology as well as the growing demand for graduate studies. This year, Coppe received 25% more new students compared to the same period in 2025.

Coppe’s director, professor Suzana Kahn, welcomed the students, highlighting that they are entering at a “very challenging” time. “We are living in an era of great transformations — energy transition, digital transformation — all at an accelerated pace. This makes this moment especially relevant to our environment of innovation and technological development.”
“All of this is changing the way we work and study. It is important that you develop critical thinking and the ability to work collaboratively, listening to diverse perspectives and interacting with other areas of knowledge. I wish you a period of great intellectual curiosity,” she concluded.

The director for Academic Affairs, professor Jean-David Caprace, highlighted that the choice for Coppe is aligned with factors increasingly valued by the students themselves – according to research conducted with the new students, institutional reputation, curriculum enhancement, and expansion of professional opportunities are among the main reasons that led students to choose Coppe for their education. “These results reinforce our commitment to academic excellence and to the training of highly qualified professionals, prepared to work in complex and constantly changing contexts,” he stated. Jean-David also presented Coppe’s academic structure and guided students on the main institutional resources. See more in the Student Area.
- The coordinator of the Communication Advisory Office, Marlene Oliveira, highlighted the strategic role of institutional communication and scientific dissemination in expanding the impact of academic production. “Each student is also an ambassador for Coppe. By sharing your research, projects, and achievements, you contribute to strengthening the institution’s reputation and expanding the reach of the knowledge produced here,” she stated. Marlene invited students to follow Coppe on social media (Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn), to tag Coppe’s profile when posting on their personal pages, contributing to giving visibility to graduate initiatives and results and to follow the news on the website and in the newsletters, Coppe News and Coppe Connect.
- Professors Marysilvia Costa and Thiago Aragão, director and deputy director for Technology and Innovation, presented the Innovation Ecosystem.
- Coppe’s former director, Professor Angela Uller, presented the Embrapii-Coppe Unit.
- Laura Scofield, coordinator of market access, presented the Coppe Business Incubator.
- The Science Outreach Director, Cleide Lima, spoke about how Science Outreach, one of the three pillars of public universities, increases the visibility of academic research. Student Ana Carolina Navarro (Biomedical Engineering Program) shared how Science Outreach works in practice and how it has benefited her research.
- Psychologist Josiane Barros presented Acolhe Coppe, a psychosocial support center that develops numerous welcoming activities and well-being practices for students and the Coppe workforce. Mateus Espanha, a doctoral student in the Systems and Computer Engineering Program (PESC), invited the new colleagues to participate in the Coppe Games Club, which will have its third edition this Wednesday, March 18th (details and registration)
- Jorge Alisson presented the Office of International Affairs and the possibilities of scholarships and double degrees (sandwich doctorate with a foreign university)
- Christopher Rocha, a doctoral student in Anthropology at the National Museum, presented the Graduate Students Association (APG-UFRJ) and urged the newcomers to engage in student representation in the Coppe and UFRJ boards
At the end, Professor Jean-David Caprace invited the students to the Inaugural Lecture of 2026, which will be given by Professor Eduardo Giannetti.

